Pamela Anderson, once hailed as one of the most iconic Playboy models of the 1990s, has swapped Hollywood’s glitz and glamour for a more grounded life on Vancouver Island, where she’s embracing her true self.
Now 57, the Baywatch star has captivated fans anew with her fresh, makeup-free look, showing that beauty is about authenticity, not age.
“I remind myself every day that we’re good enough just as we are,” Pamela told The Times, sharing her journey toward a more natural approach to beauty. Her daily rituals keep her centered: she journals her intentions, heads out before dawn to connect with nature, and avoids her phone and social media as much as possible.
Walking three to six miles a day, reading, watching old movies, and cooking in her cozy kitchen are just a few of her daily pleasures. Her life on her family’s 100-year-old farm has allowed her to feel “rooted” and recharged in a way Hollywood never could.
Her home, Pamela revealed, has been a source of healing and peace. It’s here she wrote her vegan cookbook, I Love You: Recipes from the Heart, a beautiful homage to slow cooking and sustainable practices like pickling and fermenting. “The farm has been my saviour,” she said warmly, explaining how it has allowed her to refocus on her passions.
© GettyIn recent years, Pamela has consciously moved away from her “sex symbol” image, leaving behind the makeup and stylized image that had long defined her public persona. She views her Playboy-era look as a “cartoon character” and says that adopting a natural, bare-faced look has given her new freedom. “Letting go of the image I had of myself felt liberating,” she shared. Reflecting on that pivotal decision, Pamela said, “It was fun while it lasted, but I’m not that person anymore.”
Her makeup-free journey began quite spontaneously at Paris Fashion Week. Instead of spending hours in a makeup chair, Pamela chose to visit the Louvre without makeup, relishing the experience without the usual glamour. “Who am I competing with?” she recalled asking herself. “I was just appreciating it as this girl from Vancouver Island who happened to be dressed in glamorous clothes.”
© Fotos InternationalThe decision to embrace her natural look has brought Pamela a newfound joy in self-acceptance. She shared, “As soon as I took the mask off, the whole world opened up.” She describes herself now as “this freckle-faced kid” and is grateful to be free from the “pneumatic” image that was once expected of her. Her journey away from Hollywood’s polished facade was a revelation, and she is thrilled to live her life on her own terms.
Speaking with Better Homes and Gardens, Pamela reflected on her past and how she felt shaped by the “image created around me.” The parties, the glamorous events, and the public persona were fun, but they weren’t the whole story.
© Getty“As much as I threw every dinner party and cooked all those meals for family and my kids, it wasn’t what was seen publicly,” she explained. “But I also played into the image that was created around me.” Now, she’s happy to put that persona aside and be herself.
Despite the years spent in the public eye, Pamela has found comfort in stepping back and savoring life’s simpler pleasures. “Every love, every experience, is a learning experience, and I’m grateful for everything,” she shared.
She now views her past as a learning curve, recognizing the trauma that influenced her choices. “I see a person that had some trauma early in her life,” she reflected, noting that her once-iconic image was more about self-protection than self-expression. “I tried to be certain ways for certain people to make them happy, but eventually, I asked myself, ‘What am I doing? Who am I competing with?’”
© GettyPamela’s life today is a world apart from the Hollywood spotlight, but she has no regrets. “I’m glad I did all that, but I’m even more glad I’m where I am now,” she said, reflecting on the relief of finding peace in her natural self.
Pamela is embracing this new phase, looking forward rather than back, and appreciating the grounding simplicity of her farm life. “I made it through all of it,” she said. “Now, it’s such a relief that I get to be myself and enjoy this time.”
